Overview of BIS Certificate for Toys

BIS certificate for toys is obligatory in India to ensure that every one sold, manufactured, or imported meet safety, quality, and compliance standards as in line with IS 9873 and IS 15644. It protects kids from dangerous substances and design flaws, prevents the sale of substandard or unsafe toys, and boosts purchasers' agreement. Obtaining a BIS certificate for toys is essential for criminal compliance, fending off penalties, and gaining access to markets like e-commerce structures, authorities tenders, and retail chains, making it a vital step for any toy commercial enterprise in India. 

Although playfulness is a child's childhood, it is dangerous. It is therefore mandatory that toys, which are either domestic or imported, should be safe enough to be played with by children. To safeguard children from low-quality or injurious toys, the Government of India brought in the factor of BIS certificate for toys till the age of 14 years. All such children's toys up to 14 years of age must be certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020. 

Such a toy, not so marked, will be marked with the mark of non-conformity and cannot be sold legally in India. For this category, the BIS began issuing certificates to the manufacturers of toys against Scheme I and Schedule II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Indian manufacturers and foreign manufacturers are intending to export toys to India. They will be required to get certified by the BIS before importing and trading the toys in India.

Categorization of Toys in Order to Obtain BIS Certification 

The government has segregated the toys into two broad categories so that the procedure of the BIS certificate for toys, which begins with the manufacturers, is simplified. While there can be dozens of Indian Standards to which most types of toys would have to conform, the Ministry has made it simpler by having a master standard for each category of toy, which is to be used while granting the license. There may be certain other standards as well that must be retested. This is how to do it:

Each toy category should fulfill its fundamental requirement of certification and approval, and secondary requirements-based testing, or otherwise might be suggested based on product features.

Procedure to Obtain BIS Certificate for Toys

The following is the step-by-step procedure for applying for BIS certificate for toys:

• Step 1: Gather and organize all papers in advance before applying.
• Step 2: Submit the application and annexure to BIS.
• Step 3: BIS officers check the application for completeness and correctness.
• Step 4: An inspector-auditor is certified by BIS.
• Step 5: Factory audit is done by the inspector where the product is being produced.
• Step 6: Sampling is done during the audit to be tested in an independent test laboratory.
• Step 7: Test samples of the product are prepared to be tested in a BIS-approved test laboratory.
• Step 8: BIS issues a license if everything is fine.

Basic Requirements of BIS Certificate for Toys

Some of the key requirements of BIS certificate for toys are given below: 

•  So that the process of BIS certification, for domestic toy or foreign toy, whichever is not tedious and easy, applicants need to choose the right standard depending on the type of toy. 
• The test samples dispatched shall also be equated by BIS to primary and secondary standards, i.e., IS 9873 Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 9, as the case may be for each of the respective categories of toys. The respective standard requirement shall be satisfied by all the toys.
• Where the firm desires to certify BIS for a category of toys that is greater than one type (e.g., electrical and non-electrical toys), then more than one application is needed for other categories.
• Where there is more than one manufacturing unit, there will be a need for an additional BIS license for each of the manufacturing units. That is according to Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. 
• For whatever is an importer or indigenous manufacturer, the license will be issued only for the concerned manufacturing unit as specified in the application.
• But if any company is not manufacturing toys but selling or marketing only, then this clause doesn't come into effect. Likewise, the same clauses of BIS also confirm that toy manufacturing companies will only be eligible to receive the BIS certification.

Documents Required for BIS Certificate for Toys

For obtaining the toys BIS certification, the following important documents are required:

• Factory registration details and information
• Proof of identity application
• Flow chart of production process
• Details of signatures as accepted, along with documents
• Affidavit of possessing proper testing laboratories in manufacturing facilities
• Control quality parameters and procedures followed as records
• Laboratory test report and other information as specified under BIS guidelines

Cost of BIS Certificate for Toys

For BIS Certification of Toys, a fee of Rs. 1000/- is payable with every application to provide a BIS license. An annual BIS license charge of Rs.1000/- is likewise relevant at the time of license grant and at some point of every subsequent renewal. The renewal software fee remains Rs.1000/- and is payable annually on the time of license renewal. Moreover, an annual marking charge 50% of the minimal marking price, is payable on the software stage, with the closing 50% due on the time of license supply; this full amount is finally payable each year with the renewal utility. 

Requirements of Testing Facilities According to Indian Standards

Some of the basic requirements of testing facilities according to Indian standards are given below: 

• This is a pretty strict and bureaucratic piece of writing on manufacturers because it mentions a very comprehensive Scheme of Inspection and Testing (SIT). The SIT will have to have some test and inspection work performed in a manufacturer's testing laboratory.
• The electric toy manufacturer's testing facility shall conform to IS 9873 (Part 1):2019.
• For manufacturers of electric toys, the test setup shall be as per IS 15644:2006 requirements.
• The same notice that requires the toys to be tested and certified by the BIS also requires the SIT guidelines to the extent of the frequency with which some of these tests will be performed.
• It also requires what will be subcontracted based on a contract by test laboratories approved or certified by the BIS, and what must be done in-house.
• Apart from this, BIS toy certification under compulsion has an exception: it exempts handicraft artisans' products who are registered with the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts)

Importers and producers of toys need to obtain a BIS Certification within a brief period so that they can put the ISI mark on toys. Toys cannot be distributed in India without such marking. In light of the necessary policies under the Toys Order, 2020, BIS Certification has turned out to be vital for each Indian and overseas manufacturers aiming to promote toys in the Indian marketplace. Whether electric or non-electric powered, all toys supposed for kids up to 14 years should carry the ISI mark, making sure compliance with applicable Indian standards and safety protocols. This certification not only guarantees product excellence and protection but also protects purchasers, specifically kids from dangerous and substandard toys. Manufacturers need to be diligent in following the BIS processes, documentation, testing necessities, and licensing norms to avoid consequences and at ease lawful marketplace get right of entry to. A well timed acquisition of BIS Certification is, consequently, now not only a regulatory requirement but a dedication to baby protection and responsible commercial enterprise exercise.